Cooking basics with Dutch Ovens

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Stack cooking a full meal is easy to do. Below is a "briquette to temperature" table. These are used as a basic guide but I go by smell LOL.

When creating a menu to stack cook.... The recipe that takes the longest to cook, such as meats or stews go on the bottom. Then shorter cooking time recipes go on up the stack. Ending with things like rice, biscuits or corn bread on the top.

The coals on the tops are the heat for the bottom of the next oven. You can use less charcoal this way. Tips on charcoal... don't use the Match light type, as they burn down fast. Regular Kingsford or Cheap brands have always worked the best for me.

Starting the coals ... I use a charcoal chimney. This starts the coals without lighter fluid & they heat up faster.

When coals are 'hot', they are barely covered with white ash and you can hold your hand near them for only 2 or 3 seconds. You can hold your hand near 'medium' coals for about 5 seconds. Low coals are covered with ash. You should be able to hold your hand near them for about 7 seconds.

When they are ready (I use medium) use a long pair of tongs to remove the required number of coals needed for the bottom, put your pot on the coals, add the lid & add the required number for the top.

Using a dutch oven hook (lid lifter) give your lid a quarter turn to make sure it's sealed. When you check it... always give that little twist when putting the lid back on.

Dutch oven Baking Temperature Chart (Tip for biscuits, corn bread or baking items... I put more on top than bottom. This will brown the top & not burn the bottom)

Dutch Oven Sizes

Temp.	8 inch		10 inch		12 inch		14 inch		16 inch
°F	Top	Btm.	Top	Btm.	Top	Btm.	Top	Btm.	Top	Btm.
300°	9	4	12	5	15	7	19	9	21	11
325°	10	5	13	6	16	7	20	10	22	12
350°	11	5	14	7	17	8	21	11	24	12
375°	11	6	16	7	18	9	22	12	24	13
400°	12	6	17	8	19	10	24	12	27	13
425°	13	6	18	9	21	10	25	13	28	14
450°	14	6	19	10	22	11	26	14	30	14
500°	15	7	20	11	23	12	28	14	32	15